The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in southern Will County, about 50 miles southwest of downtown Chicago, is the largest tallgrass prairie ecological restoration project east of the Mississippi River, and one of the great open space resources / biodiversity preserves in the greater Chicago region.

Each winter, the Visitor’s Center at Midewin hosts a lecture series on conservation, ecology, and the natural and cultural history of this 19,000-acre prairie, wetland, savanna, and woodland complex between Joliet and Wilmington. These presentations are free and open to the general public.

All lectures begin at 7pm at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Welcome Center (or Hotshot building if additional space is needed). Doors open at 6:30pm with refreshments provided by the Midewin Tallgrass Prairie Alliance.

Reptiles of Midewin

If prairie flora isn’t your love, perhaps a discussion (and a “meet and greet”) of the scaly critters will do the trick. On Thursday, February 14, Holly Zak, of Research 4 Reptiles, LLC will speak about a herpetological research study she is conducting at Midewin. Learn the importance of herpetological research and how you can assist in this exciting research study!

Northern Illinois Coal Mining 1850s-1974

On Thursday, February 28, Richard Joyce, former Wilmington High School teacher, will present “Northern Illinois Coal Mining 1850s-1974.” He will focus on the history of the coal industry in northern Illinois from the work force, to the mine types to the social life in the coal towns, labor struggles and major mine disasters. Though gone for several decades, the coal industry had a huge impact on northern Illinois, affecting both the physical landscape and the development of many local towns. Midewin sits near the northeastern edge of the great Illinois coal field, and some may argue the mining history of the area had something to do with the ultimate designation of this land as a National Tallgrass Prairie.